This article describes a way of thought completely contrary to the way I see the world. I'm assuming I'm not the only one. When I look back at my life, when I see the world through my eyes now and remember how it appeared to me five, ten, twenty years ago, I am amazed at how much things can change. And as soon as I have that thought, it is followed by the question of how much different the world will seem in five, ten or twenty years than it does to me now and by trying desperately, futilely, to look forward and see through those eyes.

timujin:This article describes a way of thought completely contrary to the way I see the world. I'm assuming I'm not the only one. When I look back at my life, when I see the world through my eyes now and remember how it appeared to me five, ten, twenty years ago, I am amazed at how much things can change. And as soon as I have that thought, it is followed by the question of how much different the world will seem in five, ten or twenty years than it does to me now and by trying desperately, futilely, to look forward and see through those eyes.

Ah but the thing is the different aspects of yourself change at different rates in different ways.

At 31, I can say that my physical peak was likely around 28. If I skip exercising for a time now I'll put on a few pounds and my legs and back will ache more from routine tasks. Back then and before, exercise quickly built muscle rather than be a diminishing-results maintenance regime.

Mental flexibility peak? Jury's still out on this one. I think the science says its in the 20s, which is probably right.

A related but more interesting question is which "you" would you choose to be, if you could pick a "you" from any point in your life and make yourself that version of you?

In some ways I think the 2003-ciberido is better than the 2013 version, for example, and in some ways I like the 2013-me better. If I had to chose to be one or the other, which would I choose? Which is the "better" person?

Obvious is right... by the age of 22, the pattern was already well-documented in my brain, that i thought of my self 1 year ago to be a big nerd, and thus correctly surmised i was likely a big nerd at that very moment compared to my 1 year future self.

TheDirtyNacho: Thank you. At least you're not one of these delusional middle-aged fruitcakes going on and on about how much better they are than in their 20s, while their lactating mammaries and beer guts hang over their belts. Life is awfully short, and most of life seems to be "booting up" (childhood), followed by a decade or two of good operation (20s-30s), followed by long decades of decay and decrepitude, combined with massive denial and delusion.

And people wonder why I'm for life extension and anti-aging? Can you imagine the money society could save by not having to treat all the old people (40+) for all the things that start to fall apart?

Why, I imagine we could build TWO asteroid lasers AND a space elevator in a few decades.

But no, life extension is unnatural and not even possible. Too complicated, too hard. We don't choose to do the hard things anymore. We've got videogames that need programming.

timujin:This article describes a way of thought completely contrary to the way I see the world. I'm assuming I'm not the only one. When I look back at my life, when I see the world through my eyes now and remember how it appeared to me five, ten, twenty years ago, I am amazed at how much things can change. And as soon as I have that thought, it is followed by the question of how much different the world will seem in five, ten or twenty years than it does to me now and by trying desperately, futilely, to look forward and see through those eyes.

I'm not willing to read a Psychology article based on internet polls, even if it is in Science magazine. That said, I imagine the argument is less you don't realize things will change but rather you don't realize how much they will change.

In made up silly numbers:20 year olds look back and see a change of 1020 year olds look forward and predict a change of 7

30 year olds look back and see a change of 10

Then you argue those 30 year olds were a bunch of silly pantses who most likely thought they would change a 7 from 20-30 years old but now at age 30, realize they changed a 10. Yet they still predict a 7 for the next decade. And so on.

i think i like the smaller version of myself. 34 inch waist, minimal pain issues. Strong heart, strong body. Adventurous in many aspects of my life (which is most likely what lead to the ruination of my body). Overall, a cheerful young man with lofty dreams.

TheDirtyNacho:Ah but the thing is the different aspects of yourself change at different rates in different ways.

At 31, I can say that my physical peak was likely around 28. If I skip exercising for a time now I'll put on a few pounds and my legs and back will ache more from routine tasks. Back then and before, exercise quickly built muscle rather than be a diminishing-results maintenance regime.

Mental flexibility peak? Jury's still out on this one. I think the science says its in the 20s, which is probably right.

Wisdom peak? I think I have a few decades to go on that one.

I'm going to be 36 in a week. I'm at my physical, mental, and spiritual peak.

I expect to continue growing in those areas so that I can give you the same answer next year.

grinding_journalist:Every 5 years, if you aren't looking back at your past and wondering "How could I have been so stupid then?" you aren't trying very hard.

This. And:

You don't really change the small things. Sure, you can quit smoking, or practice driving so you don't get into fender benders as much. But, say you have memories of saying somethign aweful or strange, and remember how people looked at you oddly. Things like that will repeat throughout your life, because it is much more difficult to change your thought process concerning your decision making abilities than it is to change habit and reflex, which are hard in and of themselves.

Sure, odds are you don't necessarily make the exact same stupid mistake, but enough similar ones in different area's to amount to the same thing.

It's more wishful thinking than anything. Every 5 years you see those faults in your 5 year old memories, the stupidity is a pretty consistent thing.

You want to believe that you're better now, but shiat in one hand and believe into the other, see which fills up first.

XplodedSynapses:i think i like the smaller version of myself. 34 inch waist, minimal pain issues. Strong heart, strong body. Adventurous in many aspects of my life (which is most likely what lead to the ruination of my body). Overall, a cheerful young man with lofty dreams.

i guess i evolved. Devolved? Bleah. i don't like who i am anymore.

/Yea, yea. No one else does, either.//Get off my lawn!

I think the way to handle aging is to adjust your internal role as a person to take advantage of your strengths. For example, in my early 20s I wanted to go out and explore. So I did. Places, people, love, etc. I could fit all my belongings in one car load because I felt "well I might decide to leave tomorrow". I had a great time. But, this is not conducive to long term bonding or stable income.

Today I'm in a long term relationship and will probably have a kid in a couple of years. I'm ok with this now. My changing mind, body and emotional maturity are suited to this task in ways that a few years ago they were not.

I plan to carry out this continual re-evaluation as the years go by. I believe some older people become embittered because they hold on to unrealistic ideas for too long and invest too much into them. If they adjusted their internal role of self every once in awhile, they would see that there is always value wherever they are in life.

ciberido:A related but more interesting question is which "you" would you choose to be, if you could pick a "you" from any point in your life and make yourself that version of you?

In some ways I think the 2003-ciberido is better than the 2013 version, for example, and in some ways I like the 2013-me better. If I had to chose to be one or the other, which would I choose? Which is the "better" person?

This is true but I don't think there is any other time that people are more stupid and annoying than in their early 20's. They're past the teenager "I know everything" stage and think they're hot-shiat because they think they now know how to be humble (a paradox).

FTA: "Believing that we just reached the peak of our personal evolution makes us feel good," Dr. Quoidbach said.

Who thinks they have reached the peak of their "personal evolution"? Don't we set into motion, everyday, personal and/or material improvements? Did I die and go to a universe where cultures and department stores don't exist (I wish). I would be horribly depressed if I thought I would EVER reach the peak of my personal evolution.

That's one of the reasons I've never wanted a tattoo. I don't know how much my tastes will change in five or ten years. Would I really want a permanent reminder of something my eighteen year old self thought was profound?

There are never Fark parties anywhere near where I live. Sometimes I suspect I'm the only person from the province of New Brunswick who's even AWARE of Fark. If there ARE any in NB, they're likely not in Fredericton.

Baryogenesis:That's one of the reasons I've never wanted a tattoo. I don't know how much my tastes will change in five or ten years. Would I really want a permanent reminder of something my eighteen year old self thought was profound?

They aren't for me. Closest I ever got to getting one was one on my ring finger about 15 years ago with my ex. Didn't happen, and I have even less reason to get one now.

Baryogenesis:That's one of the reasons I've never wanted a tattoo. I don't know how much my tastes will change in five or ten years. Would I really want a permanent reminder of something my eighteen year old self thought was profound?

This. I tight rolled my jeans in the 80's. Do I really want the tattoo equivalent of that to look at the rest of my life?

BigLuca:Baryogenesis: That's one of the reasons I've never wanted a tattoo. I don't know how much my tastes will change in five or ten years. Would I really want a permanent reminder of something my eighteen year old self thought was profound?

This. I tight rolled my jeans in the 80's. Do I really want the tattoo equivalent of that to look at the rest of my life?

So... get tattoos that reference your personal history, which doesn't change, instead of tattoos that try to predict your future?

Jim_Callahan:BigLuca: Baryogenesis: That's one of the reasons I've never wanted a tattoo. I don't know how much my tastes will change in five or ten years. Would I really want a permanent reminder of something my eighteen year old self thought was profound?

This. I tight rolled my jeans in the 80's. Do I really want the tattoo equivalent of that to look at the rest of my life?

So... get tattoos that reference your personal history, which doesn't change, instead of tattoos that try to predict your future?

Well, that wasn't as hard a problem to solve as expected.

Personal history gets outdated like everything else. That tattoo I got to commemorate the Whitesnake concert I attended in 86 is looking pretty shabby. Or even the topic you choose can get dated. The picture on my chest of the my dead baby from 92? Look around, farking dead babies everywhere. And I don't even like that baby anymore. Or hell, even the style the tattoo is done in can go through fads and phases.